Suspension for driven wheels



April 18, 1950 J. PEZZANO 2,504,725

SUSPENSION FOR DRIVEN WHEELS Filed July 5, 1945 5 Sheets-Shet 1 IN VENTOR.

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A'ITD RN EYS April 1950 J. PEZZANO 2,504,725

SUSPENSION FOR DRIVEN WHEELS Filed July 3, 1945 3 Shee ts-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

H E Jagfifezzam 8* M /amv V ATTORNEYS April 18, 1950 J. PEZZANO2,504,725

SUSPENSION FOR DRIVEN WHEELS Filed July s, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet s vIIIIIIII Q INVENTOR.

fsef Pezzezrza,

ATTEI R N EYS Patented Apr. 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1Claim.

My present invention, in its broad aspect, has reference to improvementsin spring suspensions for motor vehicles, and more particularly, it ismy purpose to provide an improved spring suspension for the motorvehicle wheels whereby each wheel is independently cushioned to react toirregularities, bumps, roughness and the like, without affecting theother wheels or setting up a reaction in the vehicle body. Moreespecially, it is my purpose to provide an arched truck for each wheel;each truck being cushioned in front and in the back of the wheel, andsaid cushioning means being unique and improved. Furthermore, I providenovel means for mounting a wheel on a truck, and novel universal meansfor driving each wheel through universal connection with transmissionmeans.

In effect, each wheel of my device is independent both as to itsreaction to jolts and the like, and in its driving and steering, and tothis end each wheel is supported and mounted on its truck for drivingand steering despite movement of the truck responsive to the reaction ofthe wheel to irregularities in the road bed.

Other and equally important objects and advantages of my invention are:1, to provide a unique and improved arched truck and a dashpot type ofconnection of the truck to the chassis whereby each truck is mounted onthe chassis;

2, to provide unique and improved spring means in the dash-pots wherebythe trucks are cushioned on the chassis to be responsive and to absorbshocks transmitted through the wheels due to irregularities in the roadbed; 3, to provide improved means for mounting each wheel on a truck; 4,to provide universal means for driving each wheel independently withrespect to other wheels from a transmission; 5, to provide means forsteering, and for mounting a wheel for steering in its truck; 6, toprovide in the construction of the truck improved means for guarding thewheel and preserving an air-flow or stream-lining effect, and '7 toprovide a sturdy, practical, simple and effective spring suspensionwhich will afford greater comfort, safety and saving of cost and expensein motor vehicle transportation.

Other and equally important objects and advantages of my invention willbe apparent from the following detailed description and drawings, but itis emphasized that while I have shown a specific form of my invention,changes may be made in form, size, shape, construction and ar rangementof parts to meet varying conditions oi practice without departing frommy broad inventive concept, or the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated a preferred form of myinvention Figure 1 is a side elevation of a motor vehicle, partly brokenaway to show my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a detail side elevation partly broken away and in section ofthe steering mounting for a front wheel;

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detail top plan view of the rear wheel and universal driveassembly;

Figure 5 is a view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4 partly broken awayand in section showing the spring suspension for a wheel truck and anon-steering wheel mounting;

Figure 5a shows a detail of the supporting bracket at the outside andpartly broken away;

Figure 6 is a rear elevation partly broken away and in section, andshowing a partly modified structure, and the transmission, supportingyoke, universal drive, brake drums and transverse chassis frame, andspring suspensions for the trucks;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the form shown in Figure 6, which is bothdriving and steering;

Figure 8 is a section on the line 88 of Figure 6, and

Figure 9 is a detail of a steering knuckle of the type employed inFigures 6 and 7.

In the drawings wherein like characters of reference are used todesignate like or similar parts:

The motor vehicle body I is of an improved streamlined variety, and hasan arcuately curved top 2 from front to back, front and rear stabilizingwheels 3, a radiator if a, motor 5, headlights 6 and doors 1. The bodycomes down outside the wheels and to a point slightly above the axles.In the form shown in Figure 1 there are front wheels 8 and rear wheels9. The vehicle has a chassis with longitudinal rails 4'8, and the frontand rear wheels are supported preferably at equal distances to eitherside of the longitudinal center of the body. It is to be understood thatthe power plant and radiator, and the like, may be at the front or thevehicle as well as in the back and a four-wheel drive is applicable inall cases.

According to my invention, each wheel is supported independently upon atruck ii. Referring to Figures 4 and 5, which support therear wheels,each truck has an arcuate body l2 which has re inforcing vertical andhorizontal frames I3 and Tier. rctatii an M respectively, and carrying adetachable reinforcing plate |-see Figure 5a--and the frame supports theaxle bearings E6 of the wheel. The wheel 9 has an axle l1, and on theoutside of the bearing, a cap l8 may be bolted. The axle is formed withone element I9 (the yoke) of a uni-' versal joint 20, the other element2! of which carries a sleeve 22 which is splined to a short shaft 23.The shaft 23 carries an element 24 of a univfersal, connection 25, theother element 26 is connetd with the transmission A which is connectedwith the drive shaft 2? to the motor. Universal joints 2E and 25 bothhave semi-spher ical two-part housings 28. Sinc bothrear-wheels aresimilarly driven, as shown in Figure l, the foregoing descriptionapplying to one wheel an pliesalso totheother.

Each truck body I2 has oppositely and more zontally extending end basesections 2e. Each base section 29 carries a cylindrical verticalchameerrorpot 30;,whichma-y be integral there with. The floor of the pct30 has an annular rib 3! and, extending upwardly from end base throughthe potSS-isathreaded rod 32, the lower endor" which is fixedby'clampnuts 3301i thebase. Mounted to slide on the rod;52 is a sleeve34 formed in a top cylindrical chamber or 'pot135 which-comesdown overthe lower section in telescoping, relationship; as shown in Figure 5. A'pair of concentric cooperating springs, Edand 51 seatingat, one end onthe-base Z9 and about the rod 32 and sleeve 34 and in the top sectier;t5- normally' holdithechambers or pots 38 and 35 apartr-andithe'ro'd'hasa nut and washer "3 8 to hold themembers 3.0 and 35 inconnected relationship with limited movement with respect to eachother,The upper member 35 is bolted to the chassis longitudinal side rail i5.through" bracket 39. The above detailed description applies to. eachspring andd'ash pot assembly over ea'chend section 290i; each. truckbody l2. For convenience, each spring, andv pot assembly willhereinafter. be called a spring suspension elemeet generauiyuesignateuby ea,

" By the hereinhefore described means, it will be seen that each rearwheel is independently supported in a truck and independently driven,

7 while each truckis provided withra spring suspension at each elements#55 to the chassis; whereby shocks and movement of the wheel is absorbedby the truck and; not trans macaw-me wheels or the chassis or vehiclebody, and th E is no interference with the niversa nexibmw and is dired?to the wheels and efifective to each wheel in clepe'nd'entlyirrespective offlriioveinerit of the and wheel under the influence; ofjolts,

downwardly as so eaklihjoflitsehd's. Each frame is made up of similarp'arellel and spaced frame sections, and the sections are boltedtogether as at 82 to hold the frame section together in assembly as:will be later explained. The ends of the frame sections are attached tothe longitudinal side rails [0 of the chassis and the portion '59 haveclamped therebetween an upper chamber or pct 63 fitting down on thechamber or pct "55. The pot 6335 provided with opposed parallel flanges5| through which the bolt 62 pass and thus the sections are: boltedtoetheras shbwnin tigure a: Shaft extends upwardly through chambers orpots 56 and 63 and or;operatingconcentric:v springs are. mounted thereinand the shaft 55 is anti-frictiohally supported in pail-bearingassemblies 64 and 65 car ri' d respectively byelementstii and 56;.Asteer' in'g Ma is mounted? on the element 56 and has an arm- 65connected with the radius. rod 61; and another arm. as: may be connectedto one wheel assembly crto' the radiu rod for connection with thesteering rod: or column 69'. Forree rricv'al'o'f a wheel, th'e' euter,arm 522'ofeach yoke is'in two sections detachably connectedby a plate 55for removal ofFthe Towersection in which the axle is 'ournaied Adepending yoke 'H' is formed with an I shaped bracket member '72 whichis bolted as at it to the frame elements 5 td'support'thetrans missionto the universal drive connections to the wheels which is's'iinilar' inthis form of my invention to thatcfFigurei. A hearing cap '34i's-pro'vide'd'o'n each up er chamber or pct 63 to snacks, and read bedirregularities. Bracke re ee me -ra t-H m rs as a age curved downwardlytoengagernent in the en ineers 6f chassis side rails l6 where they eFigure 1', the drive shaft '2'? to the motor ay be inclined scmewhatdownwardly aware the trans-' mission, and has the} usual u" ni'v'ersa'ljoint 42 at are Motor n'd.

Referring wingers zine-elevate ban ea or theifcrwa-fd or frnttrucl H ii-einrbreed as at 43 sc -receives double ball-bearing; mounting e4arsunbo tm shaft as V 7 e shaft' ifi has' a stub in t l-16 5 er" 2e45and heldhjfa nut 13 nt the journal 45. A steering trim-es on g aft 46?re onnected turd iiadius r'cd fl' arid 'hei are; or-

radius lO' d,'

edited as at ii-''see Figure 3'. As" shown in r 7 ing' vertical horizoin see plate ateach side or support the end ofshaft'55t 7 Fromthefregciiig; it w ll be seen that the wheelsofthe modified form are notonly mounted for individual fespon'seto shocks, jolts; and roadirregularities, but are driver-i independently and steered,

It is Believed that the oper tion; and advantages Of fmy llll/GntOl'lWill bfaibi'iafllt fidlifi-th 'fbr'e going, but interpretationshouldonly be con elusive in the light or the subjoined claim;

' I claim? A. spring is of a' motor veh ema l or thed a truck frame, ham

fer the wrieels and axles s snfr f e d h d ter e. whi n m r in rch'edbody; ewrote; frames on said body, a reinforcing plate tt" ,thjun'gti'on of said last s receivable tudinally an on the body;e've'ieeaiit dispose ,rairpfwn nic.

i s br ach eg eise REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofrecord in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Yeakley Sept. 17, 1901Christie July 19, 1910 Gilpin Aug. 10, 1920 Lancia June 16, 1925 FornacaMay 7, 1929 Perkins Aug. 20, 1940 Garnett et al. July 1, 1941 WimbishFeb. 9, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland July 16, 1935Germany Feb. 17, 1932

